Challenge Your Belief System

"Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like." Luke 6:47

Accepting Christ as our personal Savior is the beginning of eternal life. We have gone through judgment and have been declared not guilty. When we are saved (born again/new birth) with a new life and new potentials, our sins are blotted out, there is a time of refreshing (personal peace) with the presence of Jesus in our lives and we will go to heaven after we leave earth.

Death means something else to God than what it does to us. It is the end of life to humans, but it actually means we have just 'moved' to another place. In John 14, Jesus spoke about mansions that He has prepared for His believers. Accepting Christ as Savior gets us into heaven, but obedience to His Word gives us victory on earth.

We are created by God to live a victorious life to the fullest. Victory is a gift from God provided by Jesus Christ. By understanding who we are in Jesus Christ and what He paid for, we are able to accept His promise of victorious living. When we experience the revelation that victory is our free gift from God, we are able to live victoriously. Because of Jesus' resurrection, our life and victory is guaranteed (Hebrews 2:14-16). Living a victorious life is a process and it becomes a life-style as we seek to hear and obey God's Word.

Victory in life requires action; it is not about waiting until everything is perfect. Waiting defers living which slowly causes death to us and our spirit. When we stop waiting for perfect circumstances and begin to release thankfulness for the present, God's abundance opens up a life of victory.

Victory cannot be obtained by our own strength, earned or added to and is not dependent on how victorious we feel. Victory comes from God through the power of His Spirit. Victory is gained through the revelation of walking by faith. There's victory in our walk with Christ when we come to the reality of the cross; it is finished, the victory is won. As we walk in faith and obedience to Him, the finished work of the cross is brought into our lives and we see the evidence of walking victoriously. The reason God sent Jesus into the world was to show us how to live, depending on God within Him. When we affirm Christ is in us by the Holy Spirit, He takes us from victory to victory.

Scripture makes it clear that obedience is necessary and is an important part of our life as a Christian. In both the Old and New Testaments, the central idea of 'obey' is 'to hear, to listen to attentively'. Obedience can be a challenging word. We choose to live challenged by the practice of obedience to God's Word. When we practice obedience to God's Word, we see His increase in our lives (Psalm 115:14).

Part of the application process is obedience to God's Word, because "faith without works is dead"James 2:17. If we walk in obedience, then God will prosper our way. It takes faith to apply what God says to us about our lives. We must choose to believe God and choose to obey what He says. When these things are active in our life, we are walking in victory.

The Apostle Paul reveals what the foundation of the New Covenant is built upon; the prophets of the Old Testament, the apostles of the New Covenant, with Christ as the Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19-20). Christ came to provide a rock solid foundation for our lives (Isaiah 28:16). It is impossible to build a solid life without Jesus Christ and He reminds us of the importance to have our freedom built upon Him, the Rock (I Corinthians 3:11, Luke 6:47-48). Through the grace of the New Covenant, we discover an urge to know and obey God's Word. Faithful adherence to Jesus' teaching places us on a solid foundation; provides a place of refuge; gives life meaning, purpose, satisfaction and fulfillment.

The Practice of Obedience to God's Word

1. Be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). The NO choice is "...be not drunk with wine...". This is an outer evidence that makes us feel relaxed or bold. Sometimes wine or alcohol is a cover-up for an inner feeling of insecurity and fear or rejection. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is an inside evidence of peace, power and plenty. Peace does not come form anything on earth, it comes from the unlimited, supernatural God; it is His design. The YES choice is "Lord, fill me with Your Spirit for every occasion." Obedience to God is saying every day, "Lord Jesus Christ, today I am filled with Your Spirit for my ability to choose my attitude of peace, power and plenty. Thank you!"

2. Controlled focus. Set your affection of things above (Colossians 3:2). The NO choice is "not on things on earth". The YES choice is "set your focus on things above". Things above is keeping an uplifted state of mind and emotions. Habakkuk said, "I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved." Habakkuk 2:1. This is an uplifted attitude to focus the provision of God and not on the 'things' on earth. Focus on God's Word and see what you say. This is obedience to God's Word. Lord Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit power released in me, I wait upon You. My strength is renewed and I mount up with wings as eagles (Isaiah 40:31)(uplifting your focus and changing how you see things and people). Now I see people as the riches of God. Now I see circumstances as my teacher. Now I see and receive my health provision with thanksgiving and praise from the stripes of Jesus. Now I see I receive my sufficiency for all things with thanksgiving and praise according to God's Word (II Corinthians 9:8). Thanks be to Jesus Christ whose mercy endures forever. Amen.